Flight Safety Information October 15, 2015 - No. 205 In This Issue The Large-Scale Forensics That Reconstructed The Attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 Swiss army jet crashes in France, pilot injured Customs Computers Reportedly Working Again At Airports Nationwide NEWLYWED BANNED FROM FLIGHT AT PHL BECAUSE OF DAMAGED PASSPORT Union: Chronic shortage of air traffic controllers creating crisis NTSB LOC Forum Spotlights Culture, Training Issues Viability of Aviation Biofuels Remains Distant, Say Experts Russian Officials Banned From Flying With Foreign Airlines on Business Trips Russia's Saratov Airlines to appeal AOC restrictions ND unmanned aircraft researchers cleared for projects in four states Drone pilots could get jail time, fine for violating new L.A. ordinance Cessna 208B Accident (Colombia) Cessna 421 Takeoff Accident (Louisiana) A319 Engine Cowling Separation In-Flight (Chile) A NEW MODEL FOR PILOT TRAINING...By Roger Rapoport PROS 2015 TRAINING Could this be the end of the overhead bin battle? New Turkish Jet Will Have Pratt & Whitney Engine Boeing Plunges as Delta Sees `Bubble' of Used Wide-Body Jets Surf Air: makes your private jet dream affordable Gogo upgrading to 4G Internet for business jets in flight Mitsubishi Hoping MRJ Flight Kindles European Interest easyJet launches initiative to double intake of female pilots GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Position:...Project Manager - Airport Technology Research and Development Upcoming Events The Large-Scale Forensics That Reconstructed The Attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 15 months after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down, a group of experts convened by the Netherlands have finished studying the crash. Their report explains what happened, and gives us a glimpse at the advanced technical forensics they used to painstakingly recreate the attack. One of the most striking reports from the first days of the MH17 investigation was how investigators were blocked from the crash site by armed pro-Russian fighters-and when they were allowed in, how widely the wreckage of the plane was scattered. It didn't seem likely those fragments, scattered miles across a war zone, would give up specific answers very easily. This week's report from the Dutch Safety Board is as specific as you can get, though. According to the Dutch, MH17 was shot down by a 9N314M-type warhead launched from a Buk missile system (Russia, for its part, disputes what type of warhead was used). Here are a few of the technologies they used to reach their conclusion. The Structural Recreation According to their report, the board had a long list of possible hypotheses about the fate of MH17: At the start of the investigation, they weren't ruling out pilot error, a weather event, or even space debris. To make things even more difficult, the plane fell out of the sky at 33,000 feet and broke up in the air, meaning it would be difficult to figure out which fragments were caused by impact with the ground versus a foreign object. Over the course of the last year, they built a steel framework that exactly replicated the size and shape of a Boeing 777-200ER. There, in a hangar at a Dutch airbase, they attached every piece of the plane's body recovered from the crash site, slowly and painstakingly reconstructing the plane's shell itself: The Large-Scale Forensics That Reconstructed The Attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 The Chemical Forensics As the reconstruction took shape, they began to find a pattern of puncture holes and ricochet marks of similar size, especially over the forward left side of the fuselage-as if a warhead and exploded nearby and sent pieces of shrapnel into the front end of the plane and cockpit. In fact, investigators also began recovering pieces of metal shaped like cubes and bowties, which could be identified as the standardized metal shrapnel packed inside Buk missile warheads. The investigators call them "high-energy objects," describing how the pattern of impact across the fuselage helped them determine the speed and type of detonation thanks to "stringing," where the direction of an object is traced using a piece of plastic or string. These metal pieces, which were recovered throughout the cockpit pieces, fuselage, and the bodies of the crew in the cockpit, were chemically analyzed at the Netherlands Forensic Institute. Scientists there found that the tiny metal shards had paint and glass residue on them that matched the plane-so they could assume they penetrated the fuselage from outside the plane. Another chemical marker? Traces of paint found in the wreckage, that matched that on missile pieces on the crash site. One thing the investigators couldn't do was chemically match this debris with the Buk system: The report explains that though they tried to get a sample of another warhead for comparison, they weren't able to get the material they needed for analysis-though they don't explain why. The Soundwave Analysis So a hypothesis took shape: The Buk warhead detonated near and above the plane's cockpit. The instantaneous nature of the strike meant there was no audio evidence to go on-except for what investigators describe as a "sound peak" too high and loud for human ears right before impact. This sound peak played a surprisingly important role. Because there were multiple recorders in the cockpit, they could determine what direction the super-loud noise was coming from-which helped them figure out, through triangulation, that the blast took place on the upper left hand side of the fuselage. Weeks of computer analysis came next, integrating all the known impact points of the high-energy objects and the possible trajectories of the missile. Over time, the combination of chemical and structural analysis, combined with radar and sound wave data, turned the hypothesis into a certainty: "No scenario other than a Buk surface-to-air missile can explain this combination of facts," the investigators write. What's still in contention, and may remain so forever? Whether that warhead was shot from a pro-Russian missile or a Ukraine one. http://gizmodo.com/the-large-scale-forensics-that-reconstructed-the-attack-1736572574 Back to Top Swiss army jet crashes in France, pilot injured The Swiss army said one of its Boeing F/A-18 jets crashed in France on a training mission on Wednesday, injuring the pilot. The single-seat aircraft - one of a 31-strong fleet - took off from a Swiss air base in Payerne and came down in an uninhabited area east of the French city of Besancon, the military added. The defense ministry said it did not know what caused the accident. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/14/us-swiss-jet-crash-idUSKCN0S81EF20151014 **************** Date: 14-OCT-2015 Time: 11h30 Type: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet Owner/operator: Swiss Air Force Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Glamondans, Doubs - France Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Payerne airbase (Switzerland) Destination airport: Narrative: A F18 take off Payerne airbase for a training then impacted terrain in a field after pilot ejects safely. The pilot is slightly hurt. http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=180367 Back to Top Customs Computers Reportedly Working Again At Airports Nationwide The computer system that checks airline passengers on terror watch lists experienced a service disruption. Customs kiosks at several airports nationwide are back up again after a malfunction that caused travelers major delays, CNBC reports. For about 90 minutes on Wednesday evening, passengers at airports in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Dallas-Forth Worth, Charlotte and Baltimore reported technical problems checking in to customs, The Associated Press reported. "U.S. Customs and Border Protection experienced a temporary outage with its processing systems at air ports of entry in the United States and took immediate action to address the technology disruption," an agency spokesperson said via email. International travelers were processed using alternative procedures until service was restored. "There is no indication the service disruption was malicious in nature," the spokesperson said. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/customs-check-in-down-across-major-airports- nationwide_561ef1a0e4b0c5a1ce6200b5 Back to Top NEWLYWED BANNED FROM FLIGHT AT PHL BECAUSE OF DAMAGED PASSPORT A local bride is sharing her expensive experience to save others from potential heartache. PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Imagine showing up to the airport to take your dream honeymoon and being told you can't board the plane because your bent passport is too damaged. That's exactly what happened to a Philadelphia couple, setting the newlyweds back 4 days and $1,200 dollars. Now, the local bride is sharing her expensive experience with Action News to save others from potential heartache. Carly Baker and her new husband Chris Fee just celebrated their dream wedding in Center City last Friday. They spent two years saving up for their dream honeymoon. The newlyweds packed their bags and headed to Philadelphia International Airport on Sunday, Europe bound. However, Baker soon found out she was banned from boarding her US Airways flight. Why? Because of a little thread hanging from her passport. Baker was told it looked used with the seams splitting and other signs of damage. She tried another airline agent, who snipped the string off and told her it was fine. But the first clerk already put her on a no fly list Heartbroken, the couple had to regroup. She got a new passport and they rebooked and rescheduled their hotels and flights - spending almost $2,000 dollars to get back on track. US Airways did change their international flights with no penalty, but is standing by the decision to turn down the initial passport. The airline says that the State Department has rules on damaged passports that they have to abide by. Action News received a text from the newlyweds on Wednesday and they say they finally arrived in Crete to begin their honeymoon. http://6abc.com/news/newlywed-banned-from-flight-at-phl-because-of-damaged-passport/1033187/ Back to Top Union: Chronic shortage of air traffic controllers creating crisis WASHINGTON -- A chronic shortage of controllers has reached a crisis that will lead to widespread flight delays if left unchecked, officials for the union that represents air traffic controllers said Tuesday. The Federal Aviation Administration has failed to meet its hiring goals for controllers for five consecutive years, leaving the number of air traffic controllers at its lowest level in 27 years at a time when air traffic is increasing, National Air Traffic Controllers Association officials said at a news conference. The number of "certified professional controllers" - those who are no longer in training and can direct air traffic without assistance from a more experienced controller - has declined 10 percent from a peak of 11,573 in September 2012 to 10,859 as of Aug. 22 of this year, the union said. Trish Gilbert, a union vice president, likened the situation to April 2013 when automatic, government-wide spending cuts imposed by Congress forced the furlough of 10 percent of the controller workforce. During the seven days the furlough was in place, 12,760 flights were delayed - about three times the normal number. The disruptions were greatest at some of the nation's busiest airports. Amid complaints from disgruntled travelers, Congress passed an exception to the budget cuts for controllers. Meanwhile, of the 10,859 certified controllers, 30 percent are currently eligible to retire, Gilbert said. She denied the union simply wants to increase its numbers. "We see that they are in dire straits and therefore we must speak up," she said. "We have far too few controllers in our towers and radars rooms." FAA officials didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. The shortage has meant controllers at some of the nation's busiest air traffic facilities have been working six-day work weeks for years, union officials said. They said safety isn't at risk, but they also acknowledged that controllers' work schedules are causing widespread chronic fatigue. NASA warned the FAA four years ago that chronic controller fatigue was undermining safety and urged the agency to eliminate six-day work weeks as soon as possible. The FAA had asked NASA to study controller scheduling and its impact on fatigue. The NASA study was conducted after a plane crash in 2006 killed 49 people when an air traffic controller ordered the pilots to take off on the wrong way. The ensuing investigation found that fatigue was a factor. The study reported that nearly one-in-five air traffic controllers experienced a "close call," during the past twelve months, which means aircraft narrowly missed colliding. Of air traffic controllers who had close calls--56 percent said they felt fatigue was a factor--CBS correspondent Kris Van Cleave reported back in August. The report also said that 61 percent of all air traffic controllers reported dozing off on the job. The NASA report made 17 recommendations to deal with fatigue issues among its air traffic controllers. Former National Transportation Safety Board chair Mark Rosenker said in interview with CBS Evening News in August: "I'm curious as to why the FAA, after getting a good study by NASA, which offered 17 recommendations to help prevent the fatigue issues that they're being plagued with right now, why that hadn't been made public, and why they have not told us how many of these 17 recommendations they implemented." Jim Marinitti, a union official who works at the Dallas approach control facility, one of the nation's busiest air traffic facilities, said controllers there have been routinely working six-day weeks since 2006. The union's complaints were especially unusual because labor relations at the FAA have improved markedly during the Obama administration, and the controllers association rarely airs complaints publicly. Gilbert blamed the situation on "bureaucratic inertia." She said FAA officials have long been aware of the problem and have been working to resolve it, but have simply been unable to overcome red tape and lack of communication, among other issues. Part of the blame belongs to Congress since the FAA has also been hindered by uncertainty over how much money the agency will be able to spend, making planning difficult, she said. In 2013, the agency was able to hire almost no controllers because of budgetary uncertainty, she said. As of August, the FAA had only hired 1,178 of a planned 1,772 air traffic controllers it had planned to hire in the 2015 federal budget year, which ended on Sept. 30, Gilbert said. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/faa-chronic-shortage-of-air-traffic-controllers-becomes-aviation-crisis/ Back to Top NTSB LOC Forum Spotlights Culture, Training Issues Concerned that loss of control (LOC) accounted for more than 40 percent of fixed-wing general aviation accidents between 2001 and 2011, the NTSB kicked off a day-long forum this morning to delve into human performance, training and equipment factors that play into these accidents. "The general aviation industry has not seen the same improvements [as commercial airline operators]," NTSB member Earl Weener said, "While there were no fatalities in passenger flight accidents last year, 491 people died in general aviation accidents," he noted. LOC was the single most frequent cause. The general aviation community, through the General Aviation-Joint Steering Committee, in 2011 began to take a data-driven approach to analyzing accidents, similar to that taken by the Commercial Aviation Safety Team. "But we are at the very beginning of the journey," said Wendell Griffin, director of FAA's Office of Accident Investigation & Prevention. Participants agreed a key factor will be changing the culture of pilots, including changing the way they approach flight. Pilots must use basic risk management, Griffin said. George Perry, senior-vp for AOPA and head of the association's Air Safety Institute, pointed to needed updates in the training, saying it hasn't evolved. "Pilot training is stuck in the 1970s," he said, noting a lack of simulator training, attention to angle-of-attack and focus on stabilized approaches. Perry also cited the need to be able to improve technology. But whatever solutions are developed, he said, must be "simple, affordable and present a value proposition." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2015-10-14/ntsb-loc-forum-spotlights-culture- training-issues Back to Top Viability of Aviation Biofuels Remains Distant, Say Experts Air France uses 10 percent of biofuel on a weekly Toulouse-Paris flight. Biofuels for aviation continue to face multiple challenges, the most daunting of which centers on ways to make production economical, according to a recent report jointly released by the French Académie des Technologies and Académie de l'Air et de l'Espace. The experts admit the environmental benefit, although proven in principle, is difficult to quantify. They consider hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) made from vegetable oil the only option immediately available. A biofuel intrinsically costs more to make than a fossil fuel, due to the expense associated with renewal costs, or the growth of the plant. Consequently, a biofuel for aviation costs more than its road transportation counterpart, the report notes. Technical requirements, such as the need to eliminate oxygen, are more stringent. Biojet fuel costs at least 30 percent more to produce than conventional fuel, French energy research center IFP-EN estimates, and the final price will total at least twice that of conventional kerosene. Recurring cost presents only one problem. Should biofuels cover all of air transport's needs, the investment in production facilities would require hundreds of billion dollars, the report continues. More realistically, biofuels would cover just a few percent of midterm needs. The European Union, for instance, has set a goal of 3.5 percent of the total aviation fuel consumption on the continent in 2020, or two million metric tons. The experts called the goal unachievable. The main point behind the use of biofuels centers on a desire to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Measuring precisely how much gets cut, however, has proved difficult. "It is a bit early to evaluate the gain from field to wing," said Bruno Jarry, one of the authors and a specialist in biotechnology. Depending on the path, GHG emission savings fall in the 60- to 90-percent range, according to IFP-EN expert Alain Quignard. The HEFA path resides in the 60-percent class but authorities in the field consider it "mature, industrially proven...and having a strong synergy with developing vegetable oil resources." Therefore, said the report, current research appears unlikely to develop another path until 2020. The biomass-to-liquid path uses the Fischer-Tropsch process, historically well known in aviation, but suffers from the need to organize the collection of its raw material-essentially waste from forestry activities. It nevertheless retains a strong potential for high-volume production and GHG reduction. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-10-14/viability-aviation-biofuels-remains- distant-say-experts Back to Top Russian Officials Banned From Flying With Foreign Airlines on Business Trips In the first half of the year, the number of passengers flying to international destinations with Russian airlines dropped by 15.2 percent. Russian officials and State Duma deputies can no longer fly with international airlines on business trips, under an amendment to a presidential decree published Wednesday. From now on, official trips can only use Russian carriers or the airlines of other members of the Eurasian Economic Union, which comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Officials can only dodge the patriotic option if international airlines are the only ones that fly to the required destinations. The rule does not apply to private trips. According to an unidentified representative of Aeroflot, the Russian national airline, who was cited by the Vedomosti newspaper, the change was lobbied by the company's chief, Vitaly Savelyev, in February. The representative said such restrictions were common in other countries and would help support Russian airlines, which are under pressure from falling demand during a recession and rising leasing costs thanks to a weak ruble. Leasing agreements are generally denominated in U.S. dollars and euros. In the first half of the year, the number of passengers flying to international destinations with Russian airlines dropped by 15.2 percent, according to data from Russia's Federal Air Transportation Agency. Public servants reacted to news of the new rules in various ways. Some deputies said they were unreasonable and could increase expenses when, for instance, economy-class tickets are sold out. Others supported the measure as a way to help the country's airlines, according to Vedomosti. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russian-officials-banned-from-flying-with-foreign- airlines-on-business-trips/539109.html Back to Top Russia's Saratov Airlines to appeal AOC restrictions Saratov Airlines E190 Saratov Airlines will appeal the restrictions on its air operator's certificate (AOC), prohibiting it from operating international flights due to a safety violation. On Oct. 13, Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, announced it was restricting carrier's AOC after a safety inspection revealed an airline employee-who was not officially included in the flight assignment and was not a crew member-stayed in the cockpit during a Saratov-Antalya flight on July 19, 2015. The person was later determined to be a close relative of the carrier's general director. Rosaviatsia said the carrier did not respond to the inspection results. Saratov Airlines issued a statement saying authorities did not file any particular claims or directions after the inspection. It also said it launched its own internal investigation and reprimanded several employees, including general director Igor Tretyakov. The airline statement said it has already taken several actions among its employees to prevent future violations. http://atwonline.com/safety/russia-s-saratov-airlines-appeal-aoc-restrictions Back to Top ND unmanned aircraft researchers cleared for projects in four states Unmanned aircraft test flights conducted by North Dakota researchers will expand beyond state borders in the coming months. A UND committee unanimously approved three research missions Wednesday for flights planned for locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado and Illinois, which involve using unmanned aircraft to inspect bridges, powerline poles, pipelines and real estate. The aircraft will be piloted by staff from the Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site, a state organization designated by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct research into UAS flight. The test site has permission from the FAA to fly nationwide at an altitude of 400 feet or less in certain areas for research purposes. Chris Theisen, director of research, development, test and evaluation for the site, said a majority of the flights would take place in rural areas. One exception would be the test site's flight inspection of the Blatnik Bridge, which spans from Duluth to Superior, Wis. That inspection has been requested by the Minnesota Department of Transportation as part of ongoing bridge inspections across the state and is expected to occur in mid-November. The other research missions will test the unmanned aircraft's capabilities of monitoring pipelines just west of Denver and power lines near Joliette, N.D., and evaluating real estate for insurance purposes in Bloomington, Ill. Cameras and sensors on the unmanned aircraft may be used to inspect pipelines, power lines or other structures and monitor them in situations where there may be a spill or a downed power line. The flights for insurance purposes will begin later this month, and test software used to gather data, the quality of data collected and how that data can be used by insurance providers in cases such as examining a roof that has received hail damage, mission coordinator Jakee Stoltz said. Research proposals from the test site and other entities are vetted by UND's UAS Research and Compliance Committee, which was formed in part to discuss potential privacy concerns the research could face. http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/3861111-nd-unmanned-aircraft-researchers-cleared-projects- four-states Back to Top Drone pilots could get jail time, fine for violating new L.A. ordinance A drone with a camera is used to shoot scenes for a television show in Santa Clarita last month. The L.A. City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday that criminalizes violating FAA drone regulations. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Flying a drone too high, too close to people or at an airport in Los Angeles could soon land you six months in jail and a hefty fine. In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the L.A. City Council approved an ordinance that mirrors the Federal Aviation Administration's civilian drone regulations and makes it a misdemeanor to violate them. A violation, which includes flying more than 500 feet above the ground, within five miles of an airport without permission or within 25 feet of another person, could be punished with up to $1,000 in fines and six months in jail, according to the city's municipal code. The law makes sure "we have the rules to enforce the [FAA] guidelines here in L.A.," said Councilman Mitch Englander, who proposed the ordinance with Councilman Nury Martinez and Council President Herb Wesson. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> Until now, violating the FAA regulations could result only in a fine and perhaps losing the drone or permission to fly one. The only way police could go after drone pilots in L.A. was by using existing laws and hoping they hold up with prosecutors and possibly a jury. Last month, the city attorney's office charged a man with obstructing police by flying a drone close to an LAPD helicopter. In prior incidents, officers have threatened drone pilots with arrest for trespassing for flying them over certain areas, like a police station parking lot. Councilman Mike Bonin told the council on Wednesday that residents in Mar Vista have been complaining about drones buzzing over their backyards at night. The drones are a "huge nuisance in our neighborhoods," he said. A drone incident captured on video last year -- when a pilot flew a drone over a raucous crowd outside Staples Center after the Kings won the Stanley Cup -- is now illegal. The new law will take effect about 40 days after Mayor Eric Garcetti signs it. Wednesday's action comes just two weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed three pieces of legislation that specifically addressed drone restrictions. One bill would have provided steep penalties for flying a civilian drone above a wildfire and interfering with firefighting aircraft. Another would have prohibited flying a drone above a K-12 school and taking pictures of students. The third would have outlawed flying them over prisons or jails. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-la-passes-new-drone-ordinance-20151014-story.html Back to Top Cessna 208B Accident (Colombia) Status: Preliminary - official Date: Wednesday 14 October 2015 Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Operator: Microsurvey Aerogeofísica e Consultoria Cientifica Registration: PR-MIC C/n / msn: 208B-0841 First flight: 2002 Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Yumbillo ( Colombia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Survey/research Departure airport: Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport (CLO/SKCL), Colombia Destination airport: ? Narrative: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan survey aircraft was destroyed in an accident near Yumbillo in Colombia. All three occupants were killed. The aircraft, fitted with LIDAR equipment, operated on a survey flights out of Cali. http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20151014-0 Back to Top Cessna 421 Takeoff Accident (Louisiana) Date: 14-OCT-2015 Time: 15:48 Type: Cessna 421B Golden Eagle Owner/operator: S D Management Inc Registration: N33FA C/n / msn: 421B0502 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Near Hammond Northshore Regional Airport (KHDC), Hammond, , LA - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Private Departure airport: KHDC Destination airport: Narrative: The Cessna 421 experienced engine problems during takeoff and crashed on a highway near the airport while attempting to return to land. http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=180396 Back to Top A319 Engine Cowling Separation In-Flight (Chile) Date: 14-OCT-2015 Time: 07:39 Type: Airbus A319-111 Owner/operator: Sky Airline Registration: CC-AIC C/n / msn: 2380 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 137 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Santiago-Arturo Merino Benitez Airport (SCL/SCEL) - Chile Phase: Take off Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Santiago-Arturo Merino Benitez Airport (SCL/SCEL) Destination airport: Copiapó-Chamonate Airport (CPO/SCHA) Narrative: Sky Airline flight H2-112 returned to land at Santiago-Arturo Merino Benitez Airport in Chile after the engine cowlings of the no. 1 engine broke off during departure. The Airbus A319 took off from runway 35R at 07:39 hours local time (10:39 UTC). After losing both cowlings on the no.1 CFMI CFM56-5B5/P engine the aircraft circled back and landed safely on runway 35L at 08:04 hours. http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=180383 Back to Top A NEW MODEL FOR PILOT TRAINING By Roger Rapoport "Four years ago," says SUN'n FUN Fly In & Expo CEO John Leenhouts, "we recognized that the economics of the world had changed aviation training. We needed to create a new model to help the industry deal with an AOPA forecasted shortage of over 500,000 pilots within fifteen years. "Higher training costs and lower salaries have discouraged many potential pilots from pursuing aviation careers," says Leenhouts, a former Navy fighter pilot who worked at Northrop Grumman before joining the Aerospace Center in Lakeland, Florida. Thanks to a $7 million donor gift and over $6 million in SUN'n FUN generated revenues, the Lakeland organization created the Aerospace Center For Excellence which includes the Central Florida Aerospace Academy. In addition a Boeing 727 was flown in and converted into a classroom on the high school grounds. No longer able to just head out to an airport and wash planes in exchange for flying lessons, aspiring pilots are getting the help they need to take to the air. Here in Lakeland $12,000 scholarships pay for flight training that helps budding high school pilots solo as early as their 16th birthday and go on to get their private pilot licenses. The new approach has already soloed 50 pilots over the past three years and 41 have already gone on to get their licenses. Twenty-one of these students have also attended colleges on scholarship. The program has quickly become number of producer of FAA certified teenage private pilots. Gaining experience on a variety of small aircraft, students can continue their training at local Polk State College, taking additional accredited classes with Embry Riddle under a dual enrollment program. "They also earn their glider and private pilot ratings as well as their airframe and powerplant certificates," says Leenhouts. With over $500,000 in scholarships and an opportunity to earn additional income working at SUN'n FUN it's not necessary to have a rich uncle to learn how to be a pilot. The only state public college in Florida with a four year professional aviation program, Polk State has partnered with companies like Jet Blue and Express Jet on mentorships that are the first step toward airline careers. The program puts a heavy emphasis on hands on flying experience thanks to training on light aircraft including tail draggers. "Too much emphasis on button pushing has created system managers on modern jets," says Leenhouts. "We should never have anyone at the controls of a passenger plane who has not had stick and rudder training. They need to understand the entire aerodynamics of flight. We focus on a slow methodical development of skills. During my years as a fighter pilot I could teach a monkey to fly. But you can't teach a monkey what to do when the fire light comes on." The success of the Lakeland program has led to a new cosponsored AOPA Aviation High School Symposium set for November 9. It has already attracted over 70 participants from around the country. This event is aimed at creating similar aeronautical training instruction across the nation.. "In the past," says Leenhouts, "the center did not have great management of funds coming in from SUN'n FUN. Now we have a focus and a purpose and a cause. Many of the 200,000 pilots and their friends who came to SUN'n FUN thought they were supporting a for profit spring break holiday," says Leenhouts. "They realize that they are helping to give new pilots a start based on merit, not family income." Roger Rapoport is the producer of the feature film Pilot Error. https://vimeo.com/110034584 The film plays October 22 at the Polk Theater in Lakeland Florida at 7:30 p.m. www.fsinfo.org Back to Top Back to Top Could this be the end of the overhead bin battle? Boeing reveals spacious storage areas that will give passengers almost 50 per cent more space for carry-on luggage * Alaska Airlines are launching Space Bins for carry-on bags in their fleet * The larger areas will be able to hold 178 bags compared to the current 118 * Storage room will increase by 48% at the sacrifice of 5cm of head space One of the most stressful parts of flying is the battle to get your carry-on luggage into the overhead bins. Thankfully this process could be about to get a lot easier with the introduction of Boeing's new 'Space Bins' - which increase the storage room by a whopping 48 per cent. Alaska Airlines will pioneer the introduction of the expanded areas on its Boeing 737 fleet, which will increase the number of bags that can fit in the overhead area from 118 to 178. Boeing's new Space Bins for their 737 planes hold 48 per cent more carry-on bags Alaska Airlines will pioneer the introduction of the expanded areas on its Boeing 737 fleet, which will increase the number of bags that can fit in the overhead area from 118 to 178 The bins will hang 5cm lower than the current models While the space-utilising area will sacrifice around 5cm of head space when open, this lower hanging area will help passengers to stow heavy bags more easily. The change could also help to reduce the amount of passengers who have to pay extra fees to check bags in the hold area. Each of the new Space Bins will be able to store six standard-size carry-on bags, two more than the current pivot bins can hold. Alaska Airlines is installing Space Bins on all its 737-900 planes and by the end of 2017 will have nearly of its fleet featuring the larger bins. 'Alaska is relentlessly focused on making the travel experience better,' said Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines vice president of marketing. 'We've been on a mission to improve our cabin experience for several years and Space Bins are part of a $150 million investment we've made to make flying more comfortable and enjoyable.' Boeing show off their new 737 Space Bins hold 50% more bags The change could also help to reduce the amount of passengers who have to pay extra fees to check bags in the hold area Each of the new Space Bins will be able to store six standard-size carry-on bags, two more than the current pivot bins can hold The Space Bins will also be featured in the Delta fleet in early 2016, with other airlines expected to follow suit. 'We work closely with our customers to continuously enhance their airplanes so they can offer great passenger experiences,' said Brent Walton, manager of 737 Interiors New Features for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. 'We have a strong record of delivering value with innovative interiors features like bigger bins that help reduce passenger anxiety about overhead storage and provide a better travel experience.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3272294/Could-end-overhead-bin-battle-Boeing- reveal-spacious-storage-areas-passengers-50-cent-space-carry-luggage.html#ixzz3ocAC7RXM Back to Top New Turkish Jet Will Have Pratt & Whitney Engine ANKARA - A US-based company commissioned with developing Turkey's first indigenous dual-use regional jet said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pratt & Whitney Canada for the production of an engine for the aircraft. In a written statement TRJet, the umbrella group that will build two Turkish jets based on Dornier 328 and 628 models, said that the engine work with Pratt & Whitney Canada's plant at Longueuil, Quebec, would start in 2016. "That will mark the first step in the Turkish jet program," TRJet said. Pratt & Whitney Canada's memorandum partners are US company Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) and its German subsidiary, 328 Support Services. TRJet is a subsidiary of SNC. Turkey has committed to buying 50 TRJet aircraft but SNC says the program may be much bigger. Earlier this year Turkey's top procurement panel, the Defence Industry Executive Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, authorized the procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), to negotiate the contract with SNC. Talks are ongoing. The TRJet program envisages the eventual production of four models of the aircraft - a jet (TRJ-328) and a turboprop (TR-328) with 32 seats, and a jet (TRJ-628) and a turboprop (TR-628) with 60 to 70 seats. SNC foresees a market for 500 to 1,000 TRJ-328s, and a similar demand for the TRJ-628. Turkey acquired intellectual property rights for the Dornier 328 and 628 from SNC, which later signed a memorandum of understanding with Ankara-based STM, a state-controlled defense technologies company, for joint work on the regional jet program - a program designed to meet Turkey's civilian and military requirements. The modernization of the TRJ-328 will be performed by German, US and Turkish engineers. The first five aircraft will be manufactured in Germany for EASA certification purposes. The remainder of the initial 50 and beyond will be produced in Turkey. The TRJ-628 will be completely designed in Turkey "with the DNA from the 628." Any modifications for different configurations, including military, will be performed in Turkey. The company expects the military and intelligence configurations to be later orders. Those configurations do not change the base aircraft configuration. Procurement officials say the military versions would be used as ambulance, maritime patrol, VIP and transport aircraft, as well as for intelligence missions. http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/policy-budget/industry/2015/10/14/new-turkish-jet-have- pratt-whitney-engine/73924970/ Back to Top Boeing Plunges as Delta Sees `Bubble' of Used Wide-Body Jets * Secondhand sales may hurt pricing on factory-fresh 777s * Keeping order flow is crucial to planemaker's output rate Boeing Co. tumbled the most in almost a year after Delta Air Lines Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson said there was a surge of wide-body models coming off lease, creating investor concern that the planemaker faces pressure on pricing for new aircraft. A used-jet glut would pinch Boeing on planes like the twin-aisle 777, one of the company's biggest sources of profit, said George Ferguson, senior air transport analyst with Bloomberg Industries. Boeing may also find it tougher to generate 777 sales needed to sustain output at 8.3 jets per month as it transitions to an upgraded model known as the 777X, he said. The situation is "causing concerns about new model pricing," Ferguson said in an e-mail. The issues also heighten "the risk that Boeing has to cut 777 production rates very soon, even late next year." Anderson, speaking on a Delta earnings call, said he sees a "huge bubble" for used wide-bodies while also signaling his interest in eventually adding secondhand long-haul jets. Aerospace companies make money by building planes to order, so they would risk losing business from airlines restocking their fleets with recent-vintage aircraft. Biggest Plunge Boeing fell 4.3 percent to $134.22 at the close in New York, its biggest plunge since Oct. 22, 2014. The decline was the second-largest among the 30 members of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Delta, whose fleet choices are widely copied, is exploring adding used versions of the Boeing and Airbus Group SE jets most popular on long, international routes, including the 777-200ER and A330-200, Anderson said. "The aircraft market is going to be ripe for Delta over the course of the next 12 to 36 months," Anderson said. "Prices are going to get lower." Anderson's remarks came amid fretting by some investors that airliner demand has peaked and that Boeing and Airbus risk over-producing jets as they plot production-rate increases for single-aisle jets like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, and the wide-body Boeing 787 Dreamliner. "Considering the jitters around the commercial aerospace cycle, it does not take much for the market to react," Ken Herbert, a San Francisco-based analyst with Canaccord Genuity, said in a note to clients Wednesday. He rates Boeing as buy. While he sees 777 output being cut to five or six jets a month, Herbert doesn't expect wide-body "weakness" to spread to the narrow-body market. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-14/boeing-plunges-as-delta-sees-bubble-of-used- wide-body-jets Back to Top Surf Air: makes your private jet dream affordable Most of us only dream of flying by private jet, but there's a new service in California that's trying to make that dream an affordable reality. Surf Air is a startup, membership airline that's looking to transform the way people travel by saving them time and easing travel stress. Private jet travel once only for the super rich is now affordable Well. Surf Air, with its current fleet of 11, eight-seater jets, has a straight forward business model. Pay $1750 per month, fly as much as you want to any of their 11 destinations in California and never wait in agonizing check in and security lines again. Surf Air CEO Jeff Potter is a veteran of the airline industry having run Frontier Airlines for years. He isn't looking to replace commercial airline travel, but is offering busy business travelers an option that rewards them with the gift of time. "what we're doing at Surf Air is giving you back that time. And doing it in a way that's convenient, the private terminal experience, the private aviation experience and we're doing it in a way that's cost effective and broaden the audience that can share in that type of experience," said Jeff. Surf Air has no plans on slowing down anytime soon. It's going to be adding 54 new planes to its fleet in the next five years and it plans to add other regions throughout the U.S. And international expansion is being seriously considered. http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/10/14/surf-air-makes-your-private-jet-dream- affordable#ixzz3ocIOySKn Back to Top Gogo upgrading to 4G Internet for business jets in flight DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL - Gogo Inc. is upgrading its in-flight Internet service for business jets to be as fast as 4G mobile networks are on the ground, letting passengers stream video, send attachments with email and use virtual private networks during their flight. On Wednesday, the in-flight Internet company (Nasdaq: GOGO) said that at the start of 2017, it will offer Gogo Biz 4G service to business planes. "We cracked the code on in-flight connectivity many years ago, and we're excited to continue offering more and more performance to customers," said John Wade, Gogo Business Aviation's executive vice president and general manager. The Chicago-based company's Gogo Business Aviation division is based in Broomfield. To read more, go to http://bit.ly/1VT2cso. http://www.9news.com/story/money/business/2015/10/14/gogo-upgrading-to-4g-internet-for-business- jets-in-flight/73958182/ Back to Top Mitsubishi Hoping MRJ Flight Kindles European Interest Mitsubishi Aircraft hopes the first flight later this month of Japan's first small passenger plane in 50 years will drive interest among prospective customers, especially in Europe, where it has yet to win any buyers. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries subsidiary is building the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), with just under 100 seats, taking on a market served by Bombardier and Embraer. The first flight of the jet, which was delayed from June, is planned for between October 26 and 30, with the exact date to be announced a day in advance. "We believe in the European market, we are carefully marketing the plane," Yoshihisa Kumagai, president of Mitsubishi Aircraft Europe said. "We hope the first flight will lead to a lot of requests from Europe," he said. Europe is the world's second largest market for regional jets after the United States. Mitsubishi sees the MRJ as a good candidate for airlines looking to replace older fleets of turboprop planes or other regional jets such as the Avro. In an example of carriers renewing their fleets, Irish regional carrier Cityjet announced a USD$1 billion deal on Tuesday to buy Russian-made Sukhoi Superjets to succeed its fleet of Avro RJ85 jets. Mitsubishi currently has 223 firm orders for the MRJ, with the first delivery to Japanese carrier ANA due in the second quarter of 2017, a target confirmed by Kumagai on Wednesday. Mitsubishi MRJ Low Speed Taxiing Test http://news.airwise.com/story/mitsubishi-hoping-mrj-flight-kindles-european-interest Back to Top easyJet launches initiative to double intake of female pilots Budget airline easyJet has launched an initiative to double the proportion of women in its intake of newly- trained pilots. Just over 5% of the low-cost carrier's 2,500 pilots are female, which is in line with the industry as a whole. Women make up 6% of its new entrants, but this will be doubled to 12% over two years under the scheme. The airline will introduce enhanced mentoring for female pilots and aim to attract more women to its training programme. Head of flight operations at easyJet, Brian Tyrrell, said the firm had a "long term strategy" to develop more female pilots. "We recognise that the proportion of our pilots who are female is too low, as it is across the industry as a whole," he said. "A career as a pilot is interesting and rewarding and we want more women to bring their skills to the role. "Our initial focus will be to increase the pipeline of female pilots, including by talking to young women who may not have considered it as a career. "This is a long term strategy, which we hope will eventually lead to easyJet recruiting, retaining and developing many more female pilots." Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, said: "It's astonishing to think that in 2015, men still make up 97% of airline pilots worldwide... and 94% of pilots in this country." He gave his support to easyJet's scheme and called for pilots to "look more like" their passengers. EasyJet also announced that it will recruit 1,140 staff over the next year - consisting of around 830 cabin crew and 310 pilots - and officially opened a new training centre at London's Gatwick Airport. There will be job opportunities at all its bases across the UK - Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Southend and Stansted. Mr McLoughlin said the training centre would "underpin" the success of Britain's aviation industry. The facilities include a cabin simulator, evacuation slide and fire training rig. http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/easyJet-launches-initiative-double-intake-female/story-27985233- detail/story.html#ixzz3ocNZfCQF Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST I am a Senior First Officer with British Airways (BA), based at London, Heathrow flying the B777. I have been with BA for 15 years and have been flying the 777 for 6 years. Before that I was flying the 747-400. Prior to BA I flew the 747-400 with Virgin Atlantic, B757s and B767s with UK charter airline 'Airtours' (now part of Thomas Cook) and my professional flying career started as a manufacturer's pilot - flying Jetstream turboprops for British Aerospace. Before flying commercially, I worked with British Aerospace within the Technical Sales discipline and was, in my leisure time, involved with general aviation as an flying instructor. I am completing a Master's degree (MSc) in Air Transport Management with City University London and the final piece of that jigsaw is a project/dissertation and I have chosen the subject of 'Ice Crystal Icing'. Rather than the complex aero/thermodynamic concepts involved, I am exploring the operational and training challenges that airline flight crews face with this phenomenon. This qualification is not being sponsored by my employer; I have undertaken to finance it myself - the rationale being that as I intend to retire from airline flying in 5 years from now that new aviation challenges may become available to me based on this contemporary qualification and my aviation background (that is the plan any way!) the survey link follows https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ice-crystal-icing Sincere thanks, Mike Skelhorn Back to Top Position: Project Manager - Airport Technology Research and Development Requisition ID: 2015-5308 Job Location: US-NJ-Linwood Posted Date: 9/8/2015 Category: Program & Project Management Clearance Required: No SRA is currently seeking a qualified individual to lead/manage the Airport Safety Task Area under SRA's ATRD contract. SRA International, Inc. (SRA) currently holds a contract with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support the airport technology research and development (ATRD) technical/engineering support program at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) in Atlantic City, N.J. The ATRD Branch supports the FAA's mission by conducting research and development required to enhance the safety of operations at our nation's airports and to ensure the adequacy of engineering specifications and standards in all areas of the airport systems and, where necessary, develop data to support new standards. Responsibilities: Acts as technical lead on multiple tasks, conducting and overseeing quality assurance on major deliverables; Manages the evaluation of implications/risks on existing or proposed projects, programs, processes, and policies/laws and implements improvements; Manages customer interactions and expectations; Reports on program status to clients and SRA leadership; Attends to staffing needs, such as interviewing, rewards & recognition, mentoring, and conflict resolution; Oversees the initiating and planning of program/project activities, and performs professional or technical work related to program management. Manages the execution effort by controlling scope, budget, schedule, quality, risk, customer satisfaction in accordance with the contract requirements; Acts as a mentor to junior Project Managers; Provides leadership of task order proposals for new/follow-on work under a program; Provides significant support for proposal/pricing development for related new business. The Safety Area Task Area Manage manages a staff of analysts, engineers (electrical, mechanical, civil), technicians. The staff has varying levels of experience ranging from high school degrees to Masters degrees. The ideal candidate shall have detailed knowledge and experience in the following task areas, that will have various projects associated with each: 1. Aircraft Arresting Systems 2. Airport Surface Safety and Maintenance 3. Airport Winter Safety and Operations 4. Visual Guidance 5. Test and Evaluation of NAS Visual Aids 6. Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting 7. Airport Wildlife Hazards 8. Web Based Application Tools 9. Airport Planning 10. Innovative Sensor Technology 11. Airport Design and Operations 12. Heliport/Vertiport Facility Design 13. Environmental Effects 1. 14. Software, Database and Website Support 2. 15. Airport Safety Data Analysis This candidate provides overall management of personnel working in the Airport Safety technical environment on individual Delivery/Task Orders. Candidate shall be proficient in Government contract and design standards, planning tools (i.e. work breakdown structures, Gantt charts, critical path analyses, PERT charts, etc.), budgeting and report development. Task areas are typically managed by Task Area Leads, who report directly to the Safety Area Task Manager, however, the overall success of the Safety Area is that of this candidate. Qualifications: 1. The qualified candidate shall have a 4-year degree in engineering or a management degree from an accredited college or university with at least 4 years of experience in airport safety or aviation related research and development 2. The best candidate will be self-motivated, have attention to detail, excellent decision-making skills, ability to work independently, be adaptable, selfless, and able to motivate their staff 3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are also required. He/she must be able to present clear and concise information to targeted audiences that may or not be familiar with the topic at hand 4. The successful candidate should be proficient with MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. In addition, he/she should have a strong understanding of MS Access and MS Project https://careers-sra.icims.com/jobs/5308/project-manager---airport-technology-research-and- development/job?mobile=false&width=930&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=- 300&jun1offset=-240 Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO November 2, 2015 Hong Kong, China https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1724162 IS-BAO Auditing November 3, 2015 Hong Kong, China https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1724176 BARS Auditor Training Washington DC? Tuesday-Thursday 5-7 April http://flightsafety.org/bars/auditor-training OSHA & Aviation Ground Safety Training Course (ERAU) Oct. 19-23, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aviation Safety Program Management Training Course (ERAU) Oct. 26-30, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aircraft Accident Investigation Training Course (ERAU) Nov. 2-6, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Air Cargo Safety and Security Symposium ALPA Washington, DC November 5, 2015 http://aircargoconference.alpa.org Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) Seminar (ERAU) Nov. 17-19, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/sms Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Seminar (ERAU) Dec. 8-10, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/uas New HFACS workshop Las Vegas December 15 & 16 www.hfacs.com 2016 DTI SMS/QA Symposium January 3, 4, & 5 2016 Disney World, FL 1-866-870-5490 www.dtiatlanta.com Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Aerospace Tenure-Track Faculty Middle Tennessee State University http://mtsujobs.mtsu.edu/postings/2124 Aerospace (UAS), Tenure-Track Faculty Middle Tennessee State University http://mtsujobs.mtsu.edu/postings/2125 *IOSA FLT Auditors *Experienced Trainers in the area of Safety Management Systems *Quality Control Specialist *Manager Quality Assurance and Quality Control Aviation Quality Services GmbH www.aviation-quality-services.com Curt Lewis